A number of beverage making systems are known in which the beverage is made by inserting a capsule of a beverage making ingredient, such as ground coffee, into a predetermined beverage making station of the beverage making apparatus. The apparatus then injects water into the capsule, where it dissolves or is infused by the beverage making ingredient to form the beverage. The beverage flows out of the capsule through a suitable outlet, which may be simply an opening or perforation in the capsule, or it may comprise an outlet tube that pierces an outlet region of the capsule. Beverage making systems of this general type are described for example WO94/01344, EP-A-0512468 and EP-A-0468079 (all Nestle), in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,189 (Keurig), in EP-A-0272922 (Kenco), in EP-A-0821906 (Sara Lee) and in EP-A-0179641 and WO02/19875 (Mars), the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A difficulty with many beverage making systems is cross-contamination between beverages of different types made in the same machine. Another difficulty is maintenance of hygienic conditions when residues of beverage are left on any part of the machine, such as an outlet tube, between beverage making operations. These difficulties explain in part the continuing popularity of in-cup vending systems, such as that sold under the Registered Trade Mark KLIX. The in-cup vending systems are based on stacks of disposable cups, each containing a portion of beverage making ingredients in its base. In use, the stack is loaded into the dispenser of a vending machine. In response to a vending command, the machine automatically splits a cup from the bottom of the stack and fills it with hot water to form the desired beverage. Cross-contamination is thereby avoided, but the machines tend to be bulky because of the large volume of the stored cup stacks. Also, the in-cup vending systems are not so well suited to the preparation of infused beverages, such as ground coffee and leaf tea.
EP-A-0179641 and WO02/19875 avoid the problem of cross-contamination by using a part of the capsule itself to form the outlet for the beverage, so that the beverage does not directly contact any part of the beverage making apparatus other than the capsule. This solution may not be appropriate for all capsule formats.
The present invention provides a flexible and simple means to overcome the above-identified problems of beverage making equipment, and further provides related advantages.